Accessing the Autodesk Database Link - Update - Level Names

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Accessing the Autodesk Database Link

*Update 09/03/2013
If you use the Revit DB Link, you might notices that in the Rooms table of Access, the value for Level is not reporting the Level Name. Rather it is reporting the the element id of the level, not the name. if you select level 1 in the model and go to Manage > Inquiry > Id of selection, you will see the ID for Level 1 is 311.

You can verify this by opening the Levels table in Access.

Thanks goes out to Chris Aquino of Autodesk Support Team for determining the issue.

*Original Post

If you have ever spent time trying to populate a schedule in Revit, you quickly realized that Revit is a horrible data entry tool. Bad news for us those, our projects require us to present a great deal of information, and sometimes that information is in the form of schedules or we may want to populate the model database with additional information for a COBie or similar deliverable that provides data that can be useful for the operation and maintenance of the facility at some point.

Autodesk has a database import export utility called Revit DBLink that allows you to import and export data between an Autodesk® Revit® 2014, Autodesk® Revit® Architecture 2014, Autodesk® Revit® Structure 2014, or Autodesk® Revit® MEP 2014 project and an external database, and then more easily maintain relationships of linked data with Autodesk® Revit® DB Link. (The software is also available for Revit 2012 and 2013).

Some key feature of the Revit DBLink tool are:

·      A grid view of the data enables you to make any final edits before import.

·      Databases can be updated following internal or external changes.

·      The grid control enables you to create Revit shared parameters to add new fields to related tables in the database.

·      Changes to new fields within the database automatically update Revit shared parameters upon future imports.

Workflow

The Revit DBLink workflow is very straightforward. You will:

1.     Create an external database from data within your Revit project. In our example, we are going to use MS Access.

2.     Modify the external database. In our example, we are going to use Excel to add additional data to select parameters. We could also modify data as well.

3.     Update the Revit project with the data from our external database.

Getting Started

In this example, we are going to populate some finish information to the Room Finish Schedule shown in Figure 1. It is important to note that we are not editing the schedule when we are exporting data using the Revit DBLink tool. We are exporting the data associated with the various element types in Revit, which is used to populate schedules.

Figure 1

The Revit DBLink add-in should already be installed on your workstation. It can be found on the Add-Ins tab in the RevitDBLink panel (Figure 2).

Figure 2

Setting Up the DB Link

Clicking on the Revit DB Link button will launch the Link Revit Model with Database dialog (Figure 3). This dialog is our interface to importing and exporting data from Revit using the Revit DBLink tool.

Figure 3

Our first step is to decide what format we will be exporting the data to. As shown in Figure 3, we can export to MS Access 2000 – 2003, MS Access 2007 and ODBC. The first two options are pretty straightforward. ODBC is stands for Open Database Connectivity and allows you to connect to different types of databases, like Access, dBase, Excel, etc. I have had limited success using the ODBC drivers, so we will focus on using the MS Access 2007 option (Item 1 – Figure 3). If you are not familiar with MS Access, don’t worry; we are not going to be doing our data entry work in MS Excel. Exporting the data to MS Access is just a simpler process that trying to create an ODBC export for MS Excel.

With the MS Access 2007 tab selected and active, click on the [Select a new connection] text (Item 2 – Figure 3) to highlight it, then click on the Export button (Item 3 – Figure 4). This will allow us to create a database connection for exporting data. This will open the Select Database dialog (Figure 4). Enter the location and name of the MS Access database file you want to create and then click the OK button to start the export (Figure 5).

Figure 4

Figure 5

During the export, Revit DBLink will generate tables for data it has exported to MS Access. You don’t have control (at least to my knowledge) of the data that is being exported. So depending on the size of your project, the export can take a few seconds to several minutes. When the export is complete, you can open the MS Access database (Figure 6).

Figure 6

The Access database contains numerous tables representing the different element and data types that have been exported from Revit. You can open any of the tables in MS Access and explore the data or make modifications. Data entry in MS Access is very similar to Revit, so I prefer to export the data from MS Access to Excel, where I can cut / copy / paste more efficiently.

In this example, we are going to be editing data for our Room/Finish schedule. In the table listing, scroll down until you find the “Rooms” table and double click on it to open it. As you explorer the Room table, you can see that not all of the editable parameter data that is available to us to edit for a Room in Revit is not available in the Room table in MS Access.

Exporting Data from MS Access to MS Excel

To export the MS Access Rooms table to MS Excel, in MS Access click on the External Data tab (Item 1 – Figure 6), then click on the Excel button (Item 2, Figure 6) in the Export panel.  This will open the Export – Excel Spreadsheet dialog (Figure 7).

Figure 7 - Export - Excel Spreadsheet dialog

Set the destination file name and location for the exported Excel spreadsheet (Item 1 – Figure 7).  Under the export options, you have a couple options. Checking the “Export data with formatting and layout” (Item 2, Figure 7) will preserve as much as the MS Access formatting as possible in Excel. “Open the destination file after the export operation is complete” (Item 3, Figure 7) will open the MS Excel file when the export is complete. Click the OK button to being the export process. This will open another dialog box that will allow you to save the export steps you just completed. Click the checkbox to save the settings if desired. Click the Close button to close the dialog.

Editing Data in MS Excel

We can now open the Excel spreadsheet and begin editing our data (Figure 8). As you start editing the data, be aware that there is some data that cant and shouldn’t be edited. Notice that in Figure 8 we have data for Level, Area, Volume. Figure 9 shows the Properties Palette for a Room. As a general rule, if the Property Palette shows data in light gray, like the Level, Area, Perimeter, etc, then you should not alter that data in Excel. The “Id” field should never be altered.

Figure 8

Figure 9

For this example, I had added some finish information to the schedule (Figure 10). Now that we have completed editing the data in Excel, we can import that data back into MS Access (make sure you have saved your work in Excel).

Figure 10

Importing MS Excel Data into MS Access

The first thing we need to do in MS Access is to delete the table that you are editing in MS Excel. The reason we are deleting the table in MS Access is so we replace the data with our edits we completed in MS Access. Highlight the table in Access you want to delete, then right-click your mouse and select Delete (Figure 11). This will delete the table.

Figure 11

When you delete a table in MS Access, a couple of warning dialog will be thrown up. One of these indicates that you can’t delete the table until its relationships with other tables have been deleted (Figure 12). Database relationships define how the data in one table relates or connects to data in other tables. Allow access to delete the relationship, as we are just using the MS Access database as a means to assist with data entry.

Figure 12

From the External Data tab, click on the Excel button in the Import panel (Item 3, Figure 5). This will open the “Get External Data – Excel Spreadsheet” dialog (Figure 13). Specify the location of the Filename and then select Link to the data source by creating a linked table. This option will allow us to maintain a link between the Excel file and the Access database. Use this option is you know you will be updating the Excel spreadsheet regularly AND you will not be making changes to the Room data in Revit.

Figure 13

Before the linking starts, the “Link Spreadsheet Wizard” dialog (Figure 14) will open. This will allow you to preview the data that you will be importing from MS Excel into MS Access.

Figure 14

If you will be making changes in Revit after you have imported data MS Access, then use the Import the source data into a new table in the current database.

Importing Data from MS Access to Revit

Back in Revit, click on the Revit DB Link button (Figure 2). In the “Link Revit Model with Database” dialog (Figure 15). Select the export connection and then click on the Edit and Import button. This will allow us to preview our data prior to importing in the “Edit Database before Import” dialog (Figure 16).

Figure 15

Figure 16

The left side of the dialog allows you to select a specific table to review. The right side of the dialog will then display the data. If there are any issues with the data, a dialog box will throw up an error message. Once you have reviewed the data, click the OK button to continue. You do not need to select a table and review the data, you can just click OK to continue, but it is generally a good idea to review the errors.

When the import has completed, the Revit DB Link will display and html Revit DB Link Import Report (Figure 17) listing any issues with the files. It is very important to review the report to understand if the issues will or will not impact what you are trying to accomplish.

Figure 17

Figure 18 then shows the Room Finish Schedule with the data imported.

Figure 18

As I mentioned at the beginning of the paper, using the Revit DB Link is not always the most efficient way to populate parameter data.

Revit MEP - Electrical - Process

An interesting question came to me this morning from a using that is transitioning from AutoCAD to Revit MEP. He wanted to know where to begin and how to create an Electrical system.

When I training, I like to focus on the Process, how Revit works rather than just teaching what the buttons do (Buttonology). You can know what all the buttons do, but if you don't understand the Revit MEP BIM process and you continue to work like you would using AutoCAD, it is going to be difficult at best to be successful.

These are my process steps for getting started using Revit MEP for Electrical:

1. Develop a communication plan with the other design disciplines, especially the Architects. There needs to be solid and consistent communication about what is going on with the design and the model. You don't want to be spending time designing if the Architect plans on changing things. This is the most important item on the list!
2. Place your electrical equipment in the model.
3. Define the Distribution Systems in the properties of the electrical equipment.
4. Place your electrical devices or lighting fixtures, keeping in mind that each device such as a switch or receptacle places an electrical load on the system.
5. Select the lighting fixtures or devices and create a power circuit for it and the other dives for that room or area of the building.
6. Assign circuits to the electrical equipment.

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Autodesk Mockup 360

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One of the strongest points of Autodesk Mockup 360 is the ability to visualize a large entire factory layout in mockup pulled from many CAD sources, but still have the detail to inspect individual parts within a complex assembly in that factory.

More benefits to Autodesk Mockup 360

• Ease of getting started and using Mockup 360
• Ability to share and bring anyone into a Mockup
• Work together simultaneously with many users and see changes in real time (we used this the other day in our team meeting where 6 people were logged in simultaneously and assembling a mockup from a training data set). 
• Aggregation of data from virtually any CAD source into a single mockup (SolidWorks, Pro/E, Catia, Inventor, STEP, *.ipt, *.iam, *.prt, *.stp, *, igs, *.sldprt,*.dwf,*.dwfx, *.jt, *.nwd  and many more.)

You can download and use mockup 360 free for 90 days by going to  http://www.autodesk.com/products/mockup-360/free-trial

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Rooms, Spaces and Zones

Before we talk about Revit MEP spaces, a brief overview of Revit Architecture Rooms and Revit MEP Spaces is generally helpful. Revit Rooms and Spaces are independent components used for different purposes. Rooms are an Architectural component used to hold data about the occupied space (Figure 1).

Figure 1 - Room properties

Spaces are used exclusively by the MEP disciplines and are used to hold data about the areas in which they have been place that can be used to perform heating and cooling load analysis (Figure 2).

Rooms and Spaces have some common characteristics. Both are created within room-bounding elements such as walls, floors, ceilings, roofs, and room separation lines that are present in the Architectural model. So objects that are used to define a Room in the Architectural model define the Space in the MEP model.

Figure 2 - Space properties

Using Spaces, the Mechanical Designer can model the HVAC loads within the program or export the space load data via a gbXML file for importing into various external simulation software packages. Within Revit MEP, Spaces can be used to:

·      Perform heating and cooling analysis

·      Perform conceptual energy analysis

·      Analyze duct and pipe system pressure

Creating spaces is a very quick process that begins after you have linked in the Architecture model. Select the Architecture model and in the Properties palette, select Edit Type to edit the Type properties for the linked file (Figure 4).

 

Figure 3 - Selected Linked Architecture Model and Properties Palette

This opens the Type Properties dialog (Figure 4) and allows you to enable Room Bounding by checking the Room Bounding Switch. This option allows the boundaries of the Architectural model to be used to define the boundaries of the MEP spaces. Check the checkbox to enable Room Bounding then click OK to close the Type Properties dialog.

TIP: If you do not enable the linked file to be Room Bounding and you try to place a Space, you will get a warning that the placed Space is not in an enclosed region. If you try to run any analysis without having defined spaces, Revit will not be able to calculate loads.

 

Figure 4 - Enabling Room Bounding of the Architecture model

To place Spaces in the model, click on the Analyze tab (Figure 5). The Spaces & Zones panel provides us with the options needed to create both Spaces and Zones. To create a space we can either place the space manually or allow Revit to locate and place spaces automatically.

 

Figure 5 - Adding Spaces

To automatically generate Spaces, click on the Space button in the Spaces & Zones panel. This will bring up the Modify | Place Space tab and click on the Place Spaces Automatically button (Figure 6).

 

Figure 6 - Modify | Place Space tab

Revit will then automatically place all the Spaces in the model and will report how many spaces were created (Figure 7).

 

Figure 7 - Automatic Space creation number of spaces reported dialog

TIP: If you are going to create Spaces automatically using the automatic mode, make sure that all the spaces created are what you actually intended. Remember that Revit MEP spaces will be generated from room bounding components in the Architecture model. Areas such as utility chases, air spaces in wall construction were not included.

TIP: If a Space was created automatically that should not exist, resist the temptation to select the space in a view and delete it. This will delete the space from the model, but the space is still present in the model.

Space Schedule

After you have created your spaces in the model, it is a good idea to create a schedule of the building space properties. The schedule can be to validate that the space usage, components, internal loading and areas are correct. Creating a schedule within Revit provides a quick means for accessing this data. It is assumed that this schedule is being utilized for internally for design purposes and not to be placed on a sheet to be provided to the client.

As an example, in Figure 8 I have created a basic Space Properties schedule that contains the following information. This information can and should be modified to fir your desired workflow and means and methods.

Name:                         Name of the Space

Number:                     Number of the Space

Space Type:               Description of how the Space will be utilized

Number of People:    Occupancy of the Space

Area:                           Area of the space

Construction Type:   Physical Construction of the Space

Condition Type:         Type of Space Conditioning

Occupiable:                Will the space be occupied

Zone:                           Zone Space is associated with

 

Figure 8 - Space Properties schedule

Space Name and Numbers

When we create spaces, Revit MEP will automatically name the Space “Space” and automatically start numbering the rooms. This naming and numbering process probably does not match the room naming and numbering used by the Architectural model. For coordination purposes, naming and numbering spaces to match the corresponding architectural rooms makes sense and Autodesk provides a Space Naming Utility Add-In (Figure 9) for renaming Spaces to match Architectural Rooms.

 

Figure 9 - Space Naming Utility

The Space Naming Utility (SNU) can be found in the Add-Ins tab on the Space naming Utility panel. Clicking on the Launch SNU button opens the Autodesk Revit MEP Space Naming Utility dialog (Figure 10). The SNU provides you with the option to coordinate the Room Name and/or Numbers with Spaces. You also have the option to select with Levels you want to coordinate the Room/Space names and/or numbers. Clicking the OK button runs the command and the results are shown in Figure 11.

 

Figure 10 – Space Naming Dialog

TIP: If there is not a corresponding Room for each of the Spaces that have been generated in Revit MEP, then the Space name will not be updated.

 

Figure 11 – Space Properties Schedule

Zones

Once we have our Spaces defined, we want to start grouping similar Spaces into Zones. Placing Zones is simply a matter of assigning Spaces to a Zone. When a Space is created, it is automatically assigned to the “Default” zone.

Prior to assigning Spaces to Zones, I like to switch to a working Plan View that is a Plan View that will not be dropped on a sheet for printing. I then apply a Space Tag to each Space that also contains the Zone information (Figure 12). This step is not required, but can be helpful to make sure that you place the spaces in the correct Zones.

Figure 12 - Space Tag with Zone

To create a Zone, on the Analyze tab, in the Spaces & Zones panel, click on the Zone button (Figure 13). This opens up the Edit Zone tab. By default, the tool that is active is the Add Space button. You can immediately go to the plan view and click on Spaces and they will be added to the zone. Clicking on the Remove Space button allows you to remove a space from a Zone. When finished, clicking on the Finish Editing Zone button ends the current Zone editing session. You can only create one Zone per Edit Zone session.

 

Figure 13 - Zone button and the Edit Zone ribbon.

To edit an existing Zone, select the Zone and then on the Modify | HVAC Zones tab, click the Edit Zone button.

When you click on a Zone, Zone data will appear in the Properties Pallette. The physical data about the zone (area, volume perimeter) and the calculated heating and cooling loads and zone airflow (after heating and cooling analysis has been run) are available (Figure 14). Zone names can be adjusted in a schedule or by selecting the Zone and updating the Zone name in the Properties Palette.

 

Figure 14 - Zone data from Properties Palette

Deleting Spaces

When working with Spaces, it is a good idea to think of a Revit Space object as two parts. One part is an object that we place in the model and we can click on it and gets its properties. The other is an analytical like part that doesn’t have a physical component that we can manipulate. If you need to delete a Space, it is very important that the Space is deleted properly, so that it doesn’t impact future building analysis.

For example, Figure 15 shows a portion of a plan view with the Stair Space selected and the System Browser with the same Stair highlighted. If we click on the DELETE key to delete the space in the model, Revit will throw up a Warning message (Figure 16), the Space geometry will be deleted, but the space will still be present in the model (Figure 17).

 

Figure 15 - Highlighted Space and System Browser`

Figure 16 - Space Warning message

Figure 17

To completely delete a space from the model, in a Space Properties schedule, select the row that contains the space that you want to delete. To delete multiple spaces, drag the cursor across the rows that contain the spaces that you want to delete.